The Nephilim          ON HIATUS
by Coreen Fennel
Summary: Vicki and Mike go on a stakeout, leaving Henry to guard Coreen as she acts as bait for whatever they're trying to catch. He fails in his duties, and she disappears. As the weeks after her disappearance stretch into months, he wonders if she's still alive.
1. A Failed Baiting Attempt

Disclaimer: I don't own Blood Ties, I wish I did. That belongs to the brilliant Tanya Huff and the creators of the TV show. The characters might be a bit OOC, as well, but you guys can deal with it, right? Right.

"I'm not sure, I'll have to check," Henry Fitzroy heard a very familiar voice saying softly as he slipped silently into Vicki Nelson's office, his eyes fixing instantly on the detective's assistant, a Goth university student named Coreen Fennel. His eyes not moving from her, he watched as she flipped through a textbook, a few frustrated oaths crossing her lips. "Damn it, I can't find the page, and I forgot what the ceremony was called...Try calling Julia, she always remembers these things...Yeah, alright, I'll see you tomorrow, then...No, not coming home tonight, Vicki needs me to do something, don't wait up...Yeah, I'll be fine. Look, I'll have my phone, call me if you need me, 'k? See ya." Setting the receiver gently back in the cradle, she snapped the textbook shut, groaning as she stared down at the cover.

Moving forward, Henry placed his hands on her shoulders, rubbing gently. "Problems," he asked softly, a faint note of concern tinging his voice. "You don't look as cheerful as you normally do." Feeling the knots under his hands slowly loosening, he kept rubbing, waiting for her to speak.

She gave a tiny nod, flashing a small, grateful smile at him over her shoulder. "That was my dorm mate, Alyssa. Just some huge project we have to do, that neither of us have not even gotten started on yet, and it's due in two weeks, that's all. Something about the Egyptian pharoahs for Ancient History...would've asked you for help, but that was way before even your time," she said then, in response to his questioning look. "Otherwise, I would've asked you for help right away. Thanks for the shoulder rub, by the way, it's really helping...Just got off my shift over at the coffee shop, those trays were killing me..."

As he leaned forward, he kissed her cheek gently, rather like he would have done to one of his sisters. "No problem," he said softly. "So, I know Vicki and Mike are on a stakeout together, so that leaves me with you. Vicki wanted you to attract the attention of whatever this thing is that we're searching for, right?" When Coreen nodded, her pulse beating faster for just a moment, he slid his arms around her waist and squeezed gently. "You'll be fine, Coreen. I'll be right there watching, nothing will happen to you. I promise."

Coreen twisted around in his arms and hugged him then, giving a slightly relieved smile as he held her tighter. "It's so stupid, isn't it? The fact that I'm scared? I've seen and done so many things, I've helped catch an incubus, a Gorgon, I've gotten kidnapped by Norman...twice...but I have to do this, and I'm scared."

Kissing her forehead then, Henry rubbed her back reassuringly. "It's not stupid at all. Before, you had Vicki and I where you could see us, and even Mike. This time, it'll be pretty much on your own, unless you need me. If you weren't scared, I'd think you had a death wish."

She couldn't help laughing a bit, shaking her head. "No, I definitely don't have a death wish...I might dress Goth most of the time, but I'm not looking forward to death anytime soon...unless it's a certain kind of death," she said then, sounding slightly hopeful, a shocked look crossing her face as Henry shoved her away from him, making her back hit her desk.

"Don't _ever_ say that again," he snarled angrily, looking as though he wished he could knock some sense into her, but she knew he wouldn't. "You're not meant for the life I lead...You deserve better than a life of watching the people you love die before your eyes, a life of nothing but darkness and night for eternity...I never want to hear you talk about becoming like me again, do you understand?"

Nodding quickly, she frowned up at him, rubbing her sore back, her fear passing as quickly as it had come. "Fine, I won't say it anymore...You didn't have to hurt me, you know," she muttered, giving him a quick glare as his angry look faded slowly.

"I'm sorry," he said honestly, reaching up and closing his hands around her upper arms. "You just don't know what you're asking, Coreen...Not right now, you don't. See how I live for awhile more, and if you still want it, then I'll consider turning you...but I'll only consider it. I'm not saying I'll do it, not yet. Now come on, time for you to play the pretty bait," he finished, moving her until she was between him and the door, pushing her forward until they were in the hall, and he was locking the door behind them.

As they moved down the stairs, discussing the case quietly, they kept exchanging quick glances, seeming to know what each other was thinking without it being spoken. Which was good, Coreen was very sure she'd end up vomiting if she thought any more about the possibility of Henry not getting to her in time. "Here, take my phone," she said after awhile, stepping outside into the cool night air. "If Alyssa calls, answer it, and just tell her you and I had to do some research, and I went off to find another book. Don't want her worrying after all, and maybe calling the cops after me." Taking her phone from her pocket, she pressed it into his hand, crossing to the opposite side of the street.

Henry started to walk after a few minutes, keeping far back so that no one would realise he was watching her, but close enough that she was always in sight. His dark eyes scanned the quiet streets around them, a frown crossing his lips whenever someone showed interest in Coreen. None of them seemed to be the thing they were looking for, however, so the frown quickly faded. Stopping in his tracks suddenly as the phone in his hand rang out loudly, he answered it, rolling his eyes slightly as he heard a woman's frantic voice on the other end. It had to be Alyssa. "This is Henry," he said in a soft, soothing sort of voice. "Coreen's fine, we're just doing some research at the library, she went off to get a book...Yes, I'll have her call you back as soon as we leave. Bye." Hanging up, he looked up again, scowling as he realised that Coreen was gone from sight.

Author's Note: Now! Leave me some good reviews, please, people? If I can manage to scrape ten good ones, I'll continue this.


	2. Becoming Bait For Another Kind of Prey

A/N: Okay, I know this story is rated M, but no worries about that yet, nothing happens until Coreen pops back up...if or when she pops back up.

Groaning softly as he started to run in the direction Coreen had been walking in, Henry cursed loudly, ignoring the stares he was getting from people he passed. If he didn't find her, he wouldn't have to wait for Vicki or Mike to kill him, he'd just stand outside until the sun rose. He had only turned away for half a minute, and she certainly hadn't been walking very fast in the high-heeled boots she had been wearing, so it was impossible that she had disappeared on her own. How could he have lost her...

"Coreen," he bellowed every so often, pausing to ask people if they had seen her as he ran. No one had, though, and he reached the corner she had been standing on, immediately catching a glimpse of something glittering on the ground. Crouching down, he scooped up a necklace, wincing as his hand closed around the cross pendant hanging from the chain. He had given that to Coreen only a few months before, when she had turned twenty. She hadn't removed it since. Something had to be wrong, for it to be off her neck. Either it had been torn off, or she had left it there, like a clue...

Tucking the necklace into his pocket, he looked around, starting to walk again. Hopefully, she hadn't gone far. Hearing her cellphone ring again, he answered it, unable to help giving a small sigh of relief when he heard Mike's voice. They were actually quite good friends, now that they had stopped fighting over Vicki. "Mike...I need you and Vicki to meet me outside the Peach Pit...Coreen's gone," he said quickly. "She was walking ahead of me so it wouldn't be too obvious I was looking after her, I turned away to answer her phone for her, and when I turned back, she was gone...No, there's no way she could've gotten that far on her own." Pausing, he listened for a few minutes, then continued. "Her necklace was on the ground, the one I gave her on her birthday...Alright, I'll wait here." Hanging up the phone quickly, he paced back and forth in front of the empty restaurant. Hopefully the others would be there soon, and they could get to searching.

After awhile, he hurried towards a black car pulling up to the curb, yanking the back door open and climbing inside. Shutting the door before Mike pulled away from the curb, he sighed a bit, shoving his hand back into his pocket, the feel of Coreen's necklace reassuring him somehow. "I let whoever it was take her," he murmured, closing his eyes and resting his head on the back of the seat. "I should never have turned away. If I hadn't, she'd be right here now."

Vicki reached back, taking his hand and squeezing it gently. "She'll be fine, Henry. She's a fighter. There's no way she'd go down without screaming bloody murder first and making the guy regret it."

Lifting his head up, Henry opened his eyes, a pained look filling them. "I hope you're right," he said simply, looking away after a moment. "If we lose her..." Pulling his hand free, he ran it through his hair, shoving the dark curls out of his face. "It'll be my fault. I'm the one who let her walk off alone like that."

Turning his head slightly to look at Henry, Mike frowned deeply, shaking his head at him. "We're not going to lose her. Like Vick said, she's a fighter. She left that necklace for you, she'll leave other things to help us find her, and to let us know she's alright." Popping open the console between the front seats, he pulled out a scarf, tossing it into Henry's lap. "That's hers, she left it behind at the precinct a few days ago when she needed me to check on something, never got around to giving it back to her."

Immediately burying his face in it, Henry began to sniff it, shocked at how used to Coreen's scent he had gotten, and how much he seemed to need it for life...or the semblance of life he had...to be normal. Inhaling the rich mix of jasmine, caramel and woodsmoke that always lingered around the woman who had somehow become his closest friend, he felt a very faint smile crossing his lips. "Thank you," he whispered, neither knowing nor caring if Mike or Vicki heard him.

(A/N: Anyone else notice in the Necrodrome episode, Henry asks Mike if he's okay after he gets Diesel off of 'im? I thought that was sweet. They're actually starting to become friends.)

The car went silent then as Mike drove to Henry's apartment building, parking in front. They all climbed out then, Mike forced to guide Henry, as the vampire still had his nose buried in the scarf, his eyes shut tight. "Misses his girlfriend," he said hurriedly to the man working at the counter. "She went out of town to go see her family today, hasn't decided when she's coming back yet." The man just nodded understandingly, giving the back of Henry's head a sympathetic smile, and Mike and Vicki hurried Henry up the stairwell to the top floor.

"Keys," Vicki chanted under her breath, digging in Henry's pockets. Glancing up, she heard him murmur something about his jacket, and she slipped her hand into the pocket, pulling out two keys. One was obviously to his car, the second she used to unlock the door, stepping aside as Mike pushed Henry inside. Stepping inside after them, she shut the door, watching as the two men manuvered over to the sofa. As Henry dropped onto it, Mike walked over to the answering machine, seeing the light blinking, and Vicki moved into the kitchen to make coffee. Grabbing three cups from the cupboard, she gave a large jump, dropping one of the cups as Mike checked the messages and loud, terrified screaming immediately filled the apartment.

In between the screams, they could hear sobbing, and then a voice, making Henry's head snap up when he realised it was Coreen. "Henry," she was screaming, her tear-filled voice making his lifeless heart ache somehow. "Henry, help me, please! Hen-..." The voice cut off as Mike hurriedly shut off the machine.

Henry looked between the two of them then, a pained look on his face as both of them descended on him, wrapping their arms around his shoulders. "We have to find her," he said simply, closing his eyes and tipping his head forward. "Is it wrong that I already miss her? I miss her laugh, her scent, her stupid jokes..." Still with his eyes closed, he just sat there, missing the looks Mike and Vicki were sending each other behind his head. Both of them were beginning to realise what both Henry and Coreen seemed to be missing, that Henry could possibly be falling for Coreen. If they couldn't find her, it could end up very badly...

(A/N: Okay, another thing I noticed while watching Blood Ties online...god, I love Lifetime...didn't Henry look annoyed during the incubus episode after Coreen said she wanted to search the gardener? Okay, this chapter's done, I believe. Please review more?)


	3. A Night Alone

(A/N: This chapter's a flashback, guys, that's why Coreen's in it. I'm going to have chapters from everyone's POV, I think, and flashbacks, so this is Coreen's flashback. I decided to do something weird and do some chapters(the current story) in third person, and others(flashbacks and POVs) in first, tell me how you guys think it works. Also, flashbacks in normal chapters will be in italics.)

"I'm telling you, YouTube is the best," I repeated, frowning up at Henry as he wrinkled his nose at yet another of my favourite videos. Could I help it that I seemed to be hopelessly addicted to Pirates of the Caribbean videos? It was mostly Orlando Bloom's fault, for being so gorgeous, and that was what I had told Henry, when I had warned him that it would likely be all I would be watching. He had decided to watch with me, though, even after I had said that I could put my headphones on while I watched, so he could read, so he really had no right to turn his nose up at my choices. "Anyway, about that book," I said after another few videos, when I could hear him groaning behind me. "That missing page? I think it had something about nephilim. Apparently, every few hundred years, they try to impregnate one certain woman, one who's particularly open and receptive to their desire for her. If she produces a child, she has to be killed before the baby is born, or her baby has to die soon after birth, otherwise it will grow up and lead an army of fallen angels in the destruction of Earth." As I paused to take a breath, I looked up at him, frowning a bit. "Scary, huh? Even after everything I've seen since meeting you, I still only thought stuff like that happened on TV."

He just nodded, frowning a bit as he reached around me, opening a new internet window and typing something in quickly. "Nephilim," he asked, not even waiting for an answer before he kept typing. "We need to talk to Professor Sagara about this, she might know the last time it happened." After a moment, I saw that he was typing up an email using my account, and I slipped beneath his arm, moving towards the bookshelf in Vicki's section of the office. There had to be another book with something about the nephilim...After awhile, though, I gave up, slamming one last book down on top of a tottering pile. "Why don't we go get something to eat," Henry asked, hearing my frustrated sigh. "We're not going to find anything until Sagara gets back to us, obviously, so we might as well take a break." Straightening up, he moved towards the door and pulled it open, stepping aside to let me walk out first. As we left the office, locking the door behind us, we walked in silence for a very long time, both just thinking. I don't know what Henry was thinking about, but I was thinking how it had only been a month or two since we had met, and yet it felt like so much longer. With all the cases we had had, it had seemed like at least a year had passed.

Looking up as I felt a hand on my elbow, gently tugging me to a stop, I noticed we had stopped in front of my favourite burger place. They made the biggest, juiciest burgers in Toronto, with the best fries, but I couldn't afford it anymore, as I was using my money to get whatever I could for the agency, so I had stopped going, instead either eating in the dorms or buying a box of crackers and a jar of peanut butter to last me the month...Crunchy, of course. "Henry, you know I can't afford any real food right now," I sighed, the smell of burgers wafting through the door making me almost insane with hunger. "Everything I have has been going into the agency, helping get us more cases..." Mostly adultery, which I was thoroughly sick of, but beggars couldn't be choosers. He had told me that once when he was talking about his time in Las Vegas. Somehow, though, I was pretty sure that eating rats was very different than just having to take cases of cheating spouses.

"You're forgetting I've accumulated a lot of money over the years," Henry said simply, tugging a wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. "What good is it if I never use it?" Giving me a quick smile, he walked inside, forcing me to follow him. I did have to admit, though, the prospect of getting free burgers definitely helped to draw me in. As we stopped at the counter, he turned to me while I placed my order, not even batting an eye as I ordered five burgers with everything, an equal amount of fries...okay, so I really ordered six things of fries...and two sodas. "Healthy appetite," he said simply, passing the older guy behind the counter some money. "I like that. When I traveled, whenever I took a woman I met in Prague to eat, she would always order the smallest, cheapest salad on the menu...something about wanting to seem dainty, I think? Anyway, it drove me insane, because she'd never even eat half of it, and then she wanted to go straight home after." He went silent then as we waited for my order, grabbing the bags quickly when they were held out to us. "Let's go eat somewhere else. Like the park," he suggested then, smiling down at me as we walked out.

Sipping from one of the sodas I had been handed, I held the other up to his lips so he could drink from the straw as we made our way slowly towards the park. There were still plenty of people out, it was only half an hour past sunset, after all, but I don't think either of us noticed them at all, as we had begun chatting about the case again...or, what we thought of the case. "So, as far as I know, nephilim were fallen angels, in Bible times, they impregnated human women, and their children became...I don't know...I guess a super-race, or something. That's all I've heard, though."

He didn't answer as we passed two kids and their mother on their way out of the park, but as we moved to an open, grassy area and laid down, he gave a small nod. "I heard that, too. Actually seen it a few times, but the women who are impregnated always ended up dead, or their babies did. Maybe there's something about the babies?" He frowned a bit, sinking deep into thought and shifting his arm behind my head as I unwrapped a burger and started eating. We stayed like that for a long time, with him occasionally leaning over to take bites of my food. We always did that lately. He didn't need to eat normal food, but he certainly seemed to enjoy it. It was like Mike and Vicki always ordering Chinese when they discussed a case, only with Henry and I, we just went and grabbed whatever food we could think of.

As I thought about his last statement, I nodded as well, finishing off my first burger and reaching for another. "There could be...I hope Professor Sagara gets back to us soon about it, because every book and every website I've turned to gives me nothing. This is even worse than one of my European History projects, at least then, I had more than two people I could turn to for help."

"Let's talk about something else," Henry suggested when I was almost done with my third burger. "This case is too frustrating right now, we need to back away from it a bit, stop thinking about it for awhile. Why don't we go back to my place, you can finish eating while we watch a movie or something? I've got plenty, I'm sure we can find something you'll enjoy." He helped me up when I nodded...well, more got up, then picked me up by the front of my shirt and hauled me off the ground in one quick move. "Come on." Grabbing the bags as he took the sodas this time, we left the park, again silent. We were silent around each other quite a bit, but it was never an uncomfortable silence. We just didn't have to talk every second, just for the sake of talking, we were perfectly fine saying nothing.

As we stepped into his building, heading straight for the elevator, I looked back, frowning as I saw the doorman looking me over critically. So I wasn't the type of girl Henry normally brought home, so what? Plenty of guys wanted to take me home with them, it's not as though the way I looked scared off every guy I was attracted to. Seeing my look, Henry put his arm around me, tugging me against his side. "Ignore him," he said simply. "He doesn't like most people, it's definitely not just you."

Climbing the stairs...I'm terrified of elevators...Henry dug his keys out of his pocket, finding it rather difficult, I think, as he was holding a few bags. Handing them to me, he stepped aside as we made it to the top floor. Stepping to the door I knew was his, I unlocked it, then stepped inside, shutting it once again as he stepped inside after me. Setting the bags down, he set all my food out carefully, then got me some ketchup. We chose a large pile of movies to watch and placed the first one into his DVD player, settling in for what would probably be a very long night.

(A/N: Please review, guys? The next chapter will be continuing Corry's movie night, only it will be from Henry's POV this time.)


	4. Burgers and Blood

(A/N: Just in case some people weren't clear on it, I own nothing but the concept of this story, and the insanity that's sure to brew, so if you see anything you recognize, it's not mine, and I'm not claiming it is. So don't sue me, because I'm broke. As always. Also, the thing about acting out a swordfight with spoons? Been there, done that. Was at a friend's apartment when visiting family, and after dinner, her boyfriend and I were washing dishes, while my other friend's boyfriend played my Pirates soundtrack, and M. and I decided to get into a swordfight with the spoons we were holding. Very fun.)

I was never letting Coreen pick out a movie again, that much was certain. Yes, I did own Sweet Home Alabama, but there were only so many times a man could watch that without wanting to rip his hair out, one strand at a time. For the past hour or so, she had been slowly picking at her fourth burger, too busy staring at Patrick Dempsey to devour it as she had the first three. Even with the tiny bites she had taken, though, it was already halfway gone, as I had been leaning over and taking bites as well, wondering when she would notice. I had even bitten her finger, and she hadn't taken her eyes from the TV for a moment. "Coreen," I said loudly when the movie was over, waving my hand in front of her face until she looked up and continued eating. "I'm picking out the movie this time."

She pouted at me, but nodded, only looking down at her burger when I had gotten up to switch movies. Hearing her outraged yelp from behind me, I couldn't help letting out a soft chuckle, saying over my shoulder, "That's what you get for not paying attention." Frowning down at the many choices we had set out, I finally picked out a Tom Cruise one. I wasn't going to admit it, especially not to Coreen, but when I had lived in Hollywood, California, I had owned a home with wooden floors and I had often copied one of the scenes from Risky Business. No one was ever going to know that, though, it would just ruin my reputation, and I couldn't have that. Popping the DVD in, I moved to the floor to settle beside her again, slinging my arm around her shoulders. "I have dessert for after," I said as the first scenes of Last Samurai started to play. "We ate all of it last time, so I made sure to stock the pantry with all your favourite pastries again, and I have ice cream." Her pout disappeared instantly, and I laughed, squeezing her against me for a second. "You're so easy to please."

"Yes, I am," she admitted freely, finishing off the burger and starting on the fifth, showing no signs of stopping, now that there was a movie on in which there was no one to distract her. She continued eating all through the movie, while I sat in silence, focused on the film until the credits began rolling. I got up then as she crumpled up the last of the burger wrappers and tucked it into the bag. Setting her fries on the plate I had put out for her, she coated them in ketchup, so that you couldn't even tell what they were, then she started eating, moving to settle against my side again as he began to debate on which movie to watch next. Finally agreeing on on the Pirates of the Caribbean series, she got up and moved to switch movies, while I cleared the coffee table and went to get our desserts, setting them out carefully so that all her favourites were within easy reach. I could just get up and reach for my desserts, but since Orlando Bloom was apparently her favourite actor, she probably wouldn't be so willing to do the same. I stumbled a bit as I set the last box down, making her whirl around and look at me nervously. I _never _stumbled, so I can see why it made her slightly afraid. I hadn't fed in a few days, though, and for a moment her heartbeat was all I heard. Straightening up, I rubbed a hand across my forehead as she moved over towards me, instantly drawing her hair away from her neck and offering herself to me.

Shaking my head, I looked away, but immediately looked back as she lifted a sharply-filed nail to the delicate skin between her neck and shoulder and dug it in, scraping across her skin so that blood welled up on the small wound. Neither of us said a word during this exchange. I just stared at the blood hungrily, feeling myself drawing nearer to it, half from my own longing to feed, and half from the small hand on the back of my head, pulling me close to her. As my fangs drew out, I wrapped my arms around her tightly, pressing myself to her as I sank them into her neck and began to drink. I knew I wouldn't have to make her feel the sexual pleasure I made all the other women feel when I fed from them; for Coreen, this had its own sort of pleasure. The hand on my head began to stroke gently, slender fingers from the other hand weaving through my dark curls as we stood there, joined together while I fed. After awhile, I straightened up, drawing my fangs in and licking the remainder of the blood gently from her skin. She shivered a bit, though I knew it wasn't from fear. I couldn't quite tell what it _was_ from, though.

Reaching up, I buried both hands in her hair, leaning forward and kissing her forehead gently. "Thank you," I whispered, feeling rather surprised as she wrapped her arms around my torso and hugged me gently. "You're a part of me now," I said after a few long, silent minutes. "I have your blood in me now."

Giving a small nod, she looked up at me, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her painted lips. "I know," she said simply. "Vicki told me that you could feel her sometimes, after you fed from her. It's probably just what she assumed, but..." Taking a step back, she tucked her hair behind her ears, still gazing at me. "I didn't do it for that, though. I did it because you're my friend, and you needed to feed. If you ever need to feed again, but you can't get to anyone, just come to me. I don't even care if I'm asleep. I just...I don't want to lose you."

"You won't," I said softly, moving to hold her again, wondering why her heart had pounded briefly when she said I was her friend. It wasn't the kind of pounding a heart did when a person was lying, but this...I wasn't used to having a girl so blatantly offer herself to me unless I was injured badly enough to need blood right away, like Vicki had when we had fought the windigo, and it quite honestly disoriented me. She placed her head on my shoulder, her face buried against my neck, her arms wrapped around my stomach and lower back, while mine were draped around her shoulders. Turning slightly, I started to walk, tugging her with me until we were at the window, and she looked up. Staring out at the night together, I felt a sudden connection to her, my hand moving to her hair again, caressing the thick, silky brown threads, twining them around my fingers. "You won't lose me, Coreen," I said then, resting my head against hers. "I swear it. For as long as you live, I'll always be there for you. We'll always be friends. Even if I've been gone for awhile, if you need me, I'll come back." She gave me a wide smile then, turning her head to kiss my wrist. "Come on, let's watch that movie now. We've got plenty of desserts, lots of movies, and you can stay here all day if you want, so we can watch more." Moving back to the sofa, I laid down, tugging her down with me, her back pressed to my chest as we lay with my arm around her waist, one of her arms covering mine. It felt right, laying with her like that, but I couldn't tell why. Stopping my mental debate, I focused on the movie, feeling myself laughing more freely than I normally did, even getting up and grabbing two spoons to use as swords when Coreen demanded I reenact one of the scenes with her. We played around like that for a very long time, until she finally fell asleep at about two in the afternoon, after finishing every movie we had chosen, and reenacting scenes from more than one of them. Carrying her to my bed, I settled her down carefully, draping the bedcovers over her, then I climbed in as well, falling asleep as soon as my arm had wrapped around her waist.

(A/N: Yeah, I know, it sucks. Review anyway, please? Also, let me know what you guys would like to see in chapters, and I'll do my best to make it happen.)


	5. Another Day, Another Demon

(A/N: Again, I own nothing except the concept and the insanity. You guys should know this by now, I use references like Tim Tams to refer to things I like or would like to try, that I think Coreen or Henry might enjoy as well. After all, just because Henry's lived for almost five hundred years, it doesn't mean he doesn't know how to have fun, right? I WISH I owned Blood Ties, so I could give Henry and Coreen more scenes together, and make Vicki pick Mike, but alas, I don't. Damn it. Also, this chapter is set about a week after Norman.)

"You're supposed to use that in tea, not as candy," Henry said over his shoulder as he flipped through a large book, hearing a familiar crunching sound from behind him. Turning, he smirked a bit, seeing Coreen's slightly guilty look as she crunched a sugar stick. "You're going to rot your teeth out, especially with that huge bag you brought in today. It's filled with nothing but sweets and junk food, right?" As the guilty look grew, he shook his head slowly. Moving to peer into the unzipped bag at her feet, he studied the contents, then looked up in disbelief, his expression also holding a faint hint of disgust. "You eat jam straight out of the jar?"

Coreen didn't answer that, as the phone had started ringing while he spoke. Picking it up, she cradled it between her shoulder and ear, speaking quickly. "Vicki Nelson detective agency, this is Coreen speaking..." As the person on the other end spoke, she turned her back on Henry, not seeing him reaching down and grabbing a jar of something that was bright yellow and thick. Smelling lemon as he opened the jar, she turned around, immediately sticking a finger into the goop and sucking it all off her finger before she spoke again. "Yes, ma'am...I'm afraid Miss Nelson won't be available until tomorrow, but if you'd like, I could come by and we could discuss the case further...Alright, that would be just fine, I'll be there in no time. Thank you." Hanging up, she groaned a little. "Vicki's going to kill me, she hates when I take on freaky cases without asking her first. This woman's willing to pay a thousand a day though...each! That's gotta be worth it, right?" She glanced over at Henry then, obviously pleading with him to take her side on this when Vicki got home from visiting her parents.

He just nodded, setting the yellow jar on her desk and crouching down, digging through the rest of her food. After a moment, he pulled a small box out, shaking it at her. "Why don't we make some tea? I lived in Australia for a bit, people around there use these things as straws. Really good, actually. The trick is to suck up the tea until the biscuits get soggy and the chocolate melts, then cram it into your mouth as fast as you can." Opening the pack of Tim Tams as he perched on the corner of her desk, he watched as she moved to plug in her electric teapot and set two mugs out. After awhile, as she poured the tea, he pushed a biscuit into her hand, showing her how to bite the opposite corners off of it before he did the same to his own, using it to suck up the tea. After no more than a minute, they both hurriedly crammed the treats into their mouths, Coreen laughing as she felt the now-warm chocolate cream spreading over her mouth. "See? I told you they were good," Henry smiled, reaching for another one. "Sometime, I'll have to introduce you to all the foods I've grown to love when I travel."

Giving him a quick smile, Coreen hopped up for another cup of tea, rather enjoying the closeness she felt to him. She was still attracted to him, that much was undeniable, but if his friendship and trust was all she could get, she would happily take it. She loved how open he was with her, how easily he laughed when it was just the two of them, joking around, chatting..."Sounds good," she replied, sighing happily at the thought of so much food. "_Please _tell me you've been to Turkey sometime in your life, because I'd love to try some Turkish Delight."

"I've actually got a tin of it I was going to give you," he admitted, watching her pour her tea and reach for another biscuit. "I would eat it myself, but I don't much enjoy things that taste like roses, and I remember you mentioning once that you did. If you'd like to come over on your way home tonight, you can get it early."

Licking her lips, she sent him a brief, hungry look that Mike barely caught as he stepped into the office. "Did I miss something," he asked curiously, looking between them. "Should I leave you two alone to have your moment?" As Coreen explained about the Turkish Delight, pouring a third cup of tea, he gave a small nod. "Ah, I see..." He frowned over at Henry then, shaking his head. "I'm not sure you should give her anything else sweet to eat, she's going to rot her teeth out with how much junk she eats already."

Henry just shrugged gently, smirking over at him as he began sipping the tea that Coreen handed him. "That's what I said, but you know how she is with her sweets. Can't get her to stop eating them."

Promptly sticking her tongue out at Henry, Coreen tossed an empty box at him, pouting very briefly as he caught it before it hit him. "You're the one that just taught me about the Tim Tam straws, so it's your fault that I can't get enough of those now. I'd never even had them before you showed me that trick."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Henry said innocently as she moved to the bookshelf to grab something. "I've never heard of Tim Tams before, what are they?" He laughed then, grabbing a book an inch from his nose as it flew towards him. "The tempers around here..."

Coreen just scowled over at him, then turned to Mike, quickly beginning to explain about the new case she had taken on. "Anyway, Mike, I'm going to need help from you and Henry, this woman called earlier, she thinks she has some kind of demon in her house, it's...it's taking people...She's had this one woman over during a party, a woman who hates her, and she just disappeared, in front of at least a dozen people. No one's been able to find her. Some of them have even forgotten her." She gave the two men slightly worried looks, while the two of them just stood silently, only moving when Henry heard a car honking below the window. "Time to go, I guess." Grabbing her cloak, she placed it around her shoulders and hurried out, followed closely by Mike and Henry. Mike sighed slightly, shaking his head as they moved down the stairs and out the front doors of the building, onto the street.

"Another day, another demon..."

(A/N: Ugh, this is turning into a humor fic. Didn't mean for it to, my plot bunnies like to run away from me. This will definitely get angsty later, though, during the parts where they're talking about the new Coreen case. Right now, though, it's mostly gonna be about how Henry and Coreen became friends, I think, and about how close they got. Please review.)


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